Compare and Contrast Ethics and Morals

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Compare and Contrast Ethics and Morals
Globally, people use the words ethics and morality interchangeably. Sometimes they use them without realizing their distinctions. We bump into ethical and moral issues each day. Therefore, we need to understand them to clear the existing differences. The word moral comes from a Greek word known as mos, which refers to custom (Fields, 2). Morals are beliefs by persons or groups on what is wrong or right. On the other hand, the word ethics comes from a Greek word ethikos, which refer to the character. Ethics refer to principles that guide a person or a group on what is bad or good (Surbhi, 3). Many people across the world use this word in the wrong way. Therefore, they need to understand the true meaning of the two words. That is why the paper will discuss the similarities, differences, and importance of ethics and morals.
First, the two words discuss the same thing. They both focus on defining what is wrong, right, correct, incorrect, good, or bad. The close meaning makes most people use them interchangeably, thinking they are the same (Vecsey, 80). Second, they also dictate principles and rules that should govern a group of people or society. This tries to shape people's behavior to create peace and harmony between them. Third, ethics and morals work hand in hand. They guide people in different professions to ensure they are working diligently. For instance, lawyers and doctors follow ethical rules, which shapes their behavior. Additionally, ethics and morals tend to be intertwined in several ways. For instance, according to Professor John Deigh, ethics relates closely to the philosophical study of molarity (Vecsey, 112). Therefore, this means that ethics are the roots of morals. That is why in religion if people go against the defined morals, they become unethical.
On the other hand, the two words show differences. First, morals are governed by cultural, religious, and societal norms (Perez, 3). They define what is right or wrong in a certain group. Some of the valued morals in di...